Medial prefrontal cortex and anteromedial thalamus interaction regulates goal-directed behavior and dopaminergic neuron activity

The prefrontal cortex is involved in goal-directed behavior. Here, we investigate circuits of the PFC regulating motivation, reinforcement, and its relationship to dopamine neuron activity. Stimulation of medial PFC (mPFC) neurons in mice activated many downstream regions, as shown by fMRI. Axonal terminal stimulation of mPFC neurons in downstream regions, including the anteromedial thalamic nucleus (AM), reinforced behavior and activated midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The stimulation of AM neurons projecting to the mPFC also reinforced behavior and activated dopamine neurons, and mPFC and AM showed a positive-feedback loop organization. We also found using fMRI in human participants watching reinforcing video clips that there is reciprocal excitatory functional connectivity, as well as co-activation of the two regions. Our results suggest that this cortico-thalamic loop regulates motivation, reinforcement, and dopaminergic neuron activity. The prefrontal cortex is involved in goal-directed behaviour. Here the authors show that medial prefrontal cortex activates goal-directed motivation and dopamine neurons via a feedback loop with the anteromedial thalamus.

Automated summary

This study investigates the relationship between prefrontal cortex (PFC) and motivation, reinforcement, and dopamine neuron activity. The authors found that stimulation of medial PFC neurons can activate downstream regions and reinforce behavior and dopamine neuron activity. They also discovered reciprocal excitatory functional connectivity and co-activation between PFC and anteromedial thalamus (AM) during the viewing of reinforcing video clips. These findings highlight the importance of the cortico-thalamic loop in regulating motivation, reinforcement, and dopaminergic neuron activity.